Born to insurance-company manager Charles Saint-Laurent and his socialite wife, Lucienne Mathieu, members of a family from Alsace-Lorraine that settled in North Africa after the Franco-Prussian War, Saint Laurent left home at the age of 17 to work for the designer Christian Dior. Following the death of Dior in 1957, Saint-Laurent at the age of 21 was put in charge of the effort of saving the Dior house from financial ruin. Saint-Laurent started his own couture house, which was financed by his lover Pierre Bergé in 1962. The couple split romantically in 1976 but remained business partners.

Military service

Shortly after this success he was conscripted to serve in the French army during the Algerian war of independence. After 20 days the stress of being hazed by fellow soldiers led the fragile Saint Laurent to be institutionalized in a French mental hospital, where he underwent psychiatric treatment, including electroshock therapy, for a nervous breakdown.

In the wake of his nervous breakdown, Saint Laurent was released from Dior and started his own label together with Pierre Bergé with the now-famous initials of YSL. During the 1960s and 1970s the firm popularized fashion trends such as the beatnik look, tweed suits, tight pants and tall, thigh-high boots, including the creation of arguably the most famous classic tuxedo suit for women in 1966, the Le Smoking suit. Among his muses were Loulou de La Falaise, the daughter of a French marquis and an Anglo-Irish fashion model, Betty Catroux, the half-Brazilian daughter of an American diplomat and wife of a French decorator, Talitha Pol-Getty, who died of drug overdose in 1971, and Catherine Deneuve, the iconic French actress. Ambassador to the couturier during the late 1970s and early 80s was London socialite millionairess Diane Boulting-Casserley Vandelli, making the brand ever more popular amongst the European jet-set and upper classes.

In 1993, the Saint-Laurent fashion house was sold to the pharmaceuticals company Sanofi for approximately $600,000,000. In 1999, Gucci bought the YSL brand and Tom Ford designed the ready-to-wear collection while Saint-Laurent designed the haute couture collection. Since his retirement in 1998 Saint-Laurent has become increasingly reclusive and has spent a much of his time at his house in Marrakech, Morocco.

In 2002, dogged by years of poor health, drug abuse, depression, alcoholism, criticisms of YSL designs, and problems with lead designer Tom Ford, Saint-Laurent and Gucci closed the illustrious couture house of YSL. While the house no longer exists the brand still survives through its parent company Gucci.

Read more at Wikipedia.org





	OPIUM EDT Yves St Laurent 1.0 FOR WOMEN SPRAY NEW US $37.99	YVES SAINT LAURENT - Y - Perfumed Body Lotion New in B US $34.90

	YVES SAINT LAURENT - L'HOMME 3.3 FL OZ 98% FULL US $10.00	YVES ST LAURENT OPIUM EAU DE TOILETTE 1.2 OZ & MORE! US $9.99

	N/I/B 1 OZ. YVES ST. LAURENT YOUNG SEXY LOVELY EDT!! US $15.00	Vtg OPIUM Eau de Toilette YVES ST LAURENT France Used US $7.99

	* Parisienne * by Yves Saint Laurent 3.0 EDP/NIB/SEALED US $69.99	* OPIUM * Yves Saint Laurent * Perfume Deo * 3.4 * NIB US $28.95

	AUTH VICE VERSA YVES SAINT LAURENT 3.3 OZ EDT 60% FULL US $9.99	OPIUM perfume by Yves Saint Laurent 1 fl.oz. US $7.99

	YSL BABY DOLL PERFUMED BODY LOTION 6.6 fl.oz NIB US $14.99	YSL Elle Body Lotion 6.6 oz Women NEW IN BOX US $9.99

	(Women Perfume) YSL ELLE by Yves Saint Laurent 3.0 NIB US $44.95	Opium Eau de Toilette Yves Saint Laurent 1.7 oz. US $15.00

	YSL Womens ~ELLE~ 2 Spray Samples! US $2.79	NEW! OPIUM DUO! SHOWER GEL & BODY MOISTURIZER W@W!!! US $8.99

	NU by Yves Saint Laurent Eau de Parfume & body lotions US $5.95	Opium mini edt soap lotion with bag US $9.99

	8.5 FL OZ Yves St Laurent Opium Body Moisturizer US $4.95	. RIVE GAUCHE * Yves St Laurent Perfume * 3.3 NIB YSL US $42.50

	. OPIUM * YSL Yves St Laurent Perfume 1.0 NEW in BOX US $43.95	WOMENS PERFUME OPIUM YVES ST. LAURENT 3.3 SPRAY - NEW US $35.00

	WOMENS OPIUM YVES ST. LAURENT SOAP 2 X 5.2oz.- SEALED US $9.99	Oscar by Oscar de la Renta Womens 3.3 Oz. Perfume NIB US $39.95

	YVES SAINT LAURENT PARIS Eau de Toilette 2.5 fl oz NEW US $54.00	YSL Yves Saint Laurent Large White Sunglasses Case New US $9.99

	* YSL Elle Summer 2008 * Yves Saint Laurent * 3.0 NIB * US $50.99	YVES SAINT LAURENT OPIUM MINI EAU DE TOILETTE - ¼ FL OZ US $4.99

	Cinema by YSL 3oz 90ml Eau de Parfum Spray New US $73.95	Cinema by YSL 3.0oz Perfume Spray New US $49.95

	* YSL Elle Perfume * Yves Saint Laurent * 3.0 oz New * US $40.99	Used Opium Eau De Toilette Spray 1.6 fl. 0z US $9.99

	* Opium Perfume * 1.6 YSL Yves Saint Laurent * 1.7 NIB US $53.99	OPIUM Eau de toilette spray 1.6oz BRAND NEW IN BOX !!!! US $21.99

	OPIUM YVES SAINT LAURENT 3.3 EDT SPRAY for WOMEN NIB US $64.99	* Opium Perfume * 1.6 Yves Saint Laurent * 1.7 EDP NIB US $62.99

	YSL Elle Women Mini Vial Spray Yves Saint Laurent 4pcs US $6.49	NEW ELLE YVES ST LAURENT EAU DE PARFUM US $17.99

	Champagne Yves Saint Laurent Perfume 1.6 edt NEW RARE US $69.99	Yves Saint Laurent OPIUM 1.6 fl. oz Eu de Toilette plus US $20.00

	OPIUM / Yves Saint Laurent 3.3 / 3.4 oz EDT Perfume NIB US $55.95	OPIUM YVES SAINT LAURENT YSL 0.5 oz EDT SPRAY WOMEN NIB US $25.99

	OPIUM by Yves Saint Laurent 3.3 OZ EDT TESTER PERFUME W US $45.00	YSL Opium for Women 1.0 fl oz. EDT spray US $12.99

	(Women Perfume YSL OPIUM POESIE de CHINE 3.3 NEW in BOX US $46.50	Babydoll by Yves Saint Laurent EDT 1.7 oz. US $9.99

	OPIUM EDT 3.3 0Z &.75 POWDER US $39.99	(Women Perfume) YSL OPIUM Legendes de Chine 1.6 edp NIB US $32.50

	(Women Perfume) YSL PARIS by Yves Saint Laurent 4.2 NIB US $49.95	(Women Perfume) CINEMA Yves St Laurent 0.5 Pure Parfum US $34.95

	(Women Perfume) YSL RIVE GAUCHE Yves St Laurent 3.3 NIB US $35.95	RIVE GAUCHE Yves Saint Laurent Perfume YSL 3.4 3.3 NIB US $38.99

	PARIS * YSL Yves Saint Laurent Women Perfume 4.2 oz NIB US $55.99	OPIUM * Yves Saint Laurent 1.6 / 1.7 oz YSL Perfume NIB US $41.75

	ELLE * Yves Saint Laurent 1.7 1.6 YSL Women Perfume NIB US $35.99	ELLE * Yves Saint Laurent 3.0 YSL Women Perfume edp NIB US $47.99

	NEW Opium Parfum (Purfume) by Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) US $19.99	PARIS EAU DE TOILETTE 4.2 OZ US $24.99

	Young Sexy Lovely Yves Saint Laurent * 1.6 / 1.7 New * US $24.99	Rive Gauche Yves Saint Laurent YSL 3.3/3.4 Perfume NEW US $44.71

	Paris by Yves Saint Laurent YSL 4.2 EDT Perfume NEW NIB US $53.47	Baby Doll ~ Yves Saint Laurent Perfume 3.3 oz EDT NIB US $29.50

	YSL Young Sexy Lovely Women EDT 1.7 oz 50ml New In Box US $15.85	YSL Baby Doll Women Perfume 1.7 oz B. Lotion 1.7 oz SET US $18.80

	YSL Baby Doll Music Box Sparkling W Perf 7 oz New Box. US $18.85	Lucious Ysl OPIUM Body Lotion 6.6oz Beautiful! $51 US $19.99

	Baby Doll Music Box W Perfume EDT 1.7 oz 50ml NEW INBOX US $16.60	Baby Doll Magic Women Perfume 1.7 oz 50ml NEW IN BOX US $16.60

	YSL ELLE 3 OZ EDP YVES SAINT LAURENT NEW IN BOX!!!! US $31.00	* CINEMA Yves Saint Laurent 3.0 EDT SPRAY *NEW in BOX US $48.00

	ELLE YSL YVES SAINT LAURENT 1.0 EDP SPRAY FOR WOMEN NIB US $37.99	OPIUM SATIN BODY OIL SPRAY 3.3 OZ YVES SAINT LAURENT US $17.00

	BABY DOLL by Yves Saint Laurent 3.3 oz EDT Perfume US $34.95	PARIS / Yves Saint Laurent 4.2 Women's EDT Perfume NIB US $53.95

	Yves St Laurent PARIS PREMIERES ROSES Perfume EDT 4.2oz US $24.99	Opium by Yves Saint Laurent YSL EDT SPRAY 1.0 oz ~ NIB US $29.95

	Opium Fleur de Shanghai YSL EDT Spray 3.3 oz LTD ~ NIB US $37.95	* OPIUM ORCHIDEE DE CHINE * YSL 3.3 EDT 3.4 LMT NIB US $37.95

	Yves Saint Laurent Opium Eau De Toilette Perfume US $2.99	~ YSL ELLE ~ YVES SAINT LAURENT ~ Perfume 3.0 oz EDP ~ US $48.99

	RIVE GAUCHE INTENSE * YSL 2.0 oz EDT Women Perfume US $27.00	OPIUM * Yves Saint Laurent 3.4 oz EDT Women Perfume US $67.00

	* IN LOVE AGAIN FLEUR DE LA PASSION * 3.4 EDT * NIB * US $29.95	RIVE GAUCHE * Yves Saint Laurent 3.4 oz Women Perfume US $37.00

	Yves Saint Laurent ~ CHAMPAGNE ~ .26 fl.oz./7.5ml ~ NIB US $9.99	New Parisienne Eau de Parfum Spray US $79.99

	Opium Body Rich Yves Saint Laurent CREAM 1.6 oz. US $15.99	OPIUM YVES ST. LAURENT WOMEN 3.3/100m EDT NIB Sealed US $37.00

	OPIUM Yves St. Laurent PERFUME EDT 3.3 3.4 fl.oz sealed US $38.99	OPIUM - YVES SAINT LAURENT- 3.3 OZ EDT " NEW & SEALED" US $8.50

	YSL Baby Doll Sparkling Music Box Women EDT 1.7 oz NIB US $17.95	Opium Yves Saint Laurent 6.6 fl oz Body Moisturizer NEW US $9.99

	* Yvresse * Yves Saint Laurent 4.2 EDT Spray Womens NIB US $44.95

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